But we got to tank two consecutive seasons and ended up with the Twin Towers. I doubt that the Grizzlies can repeat the feat.
Feigen has to be more careful in what he reports as the beat writer he still has to maintain a good relationship with the Rockets.
JVG would really know how to run this locker room. he doesnt take any bs and he doesnt back down from anyone.
T-Mac's only going out of the lineup on back to back's. How many back to back's are there in the next two weeks? I count zero, maybe one on the 25th/26th. In other words T-Mac would have been in the lineup for every single game over the next two weeks gaining valuable experience playing with Yao in Adelman's offense, working out the kinks, getting some practice in with his teammates. Again, he wouldn't have been going in and out of the lineup. I'm guessing there's more to this vacation than meets the eye.
That's a good point, but then how can Adelman be sure that T-Mac won't miss any games despite having a day's rest? He's been too unpredictable. I do think the Rockets are seeing something positive emerging in the team in McGrady's absence, and they maybe want to develop that further over the next few weeks. In that time, hopefully McGrady makes some significant progress health-wise, and he returns at more or less the same place physically as he did a year ago in mid-January. And then we can go 26-1 over our next 27 games, like last year, and everything will be just peachy.
McGrady said that he would miss one game of every back to back. That's the agreement he and the Rockets reached. Now he's even more unreliable? He's going to start missing some of the games that aren't back to back's? This despite the fact that as far as everybody can tell he's not injured?
Morey wanted him to sit out but T-Mac decided on the back to back idea. If anything Morey and presumably Adelman are getting what they want now. Before this news broke. This was reported: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6205987.html
Jon, Has Tracy become a distraction in the locker room? And have McGrady and Artest already been declared out for the LA game? (No. The uncertainty about when McGrady and Artest will play is a nuisance, but they joke about it more than protest it. Artest is out against the Lakers. No word on McGrady yet. -- Jonathan) so they joke about it "in that sense."
He also doesn't know how to make adjustments in the playoffs. Not backing down from anyone is not the only criteria to be a good coach.
it's easier to make adjustments when you have better talent (scola, landry at PF instead of bowen or juwan howard). but we haven't seen rick adjust one single bit to yao and tracy. we havne't seen jack of his offense since he's been here. a perfect example was v. the knicks a few nights ago, the worst defensive team in the L.
I don't think JVG was that much of a hardass, particularly with McGrady. He was more therapist than drill sgt. with TMac. According to the reports, JVG pleaded, cajoled, encouraged McGrady, even visited him at home when he was down. I don't think it was ever "my way or the highway" with TMac.
I agree, I think this may be the first time in his life he is getting that.....and it is ironic that it is coming from a guy who is known as a players coach. Very strange year. DD
Just read Doc's post. Now I'm depressed. What the hell has happened this season? It started out so promising...
*Just came to read the Doc Rocket comment* In '06-07' there was the owner, the new GM, still the OLD GM, and a coach in the hot seat. That would appear like too many chefs stirring a pot. Then the new GM got put in full time. Owner wanted one of those new trendy fast paced style offenses, had a new court design to match the new trendy look. Hired a new coach who in the past had a similar style. But kept the 2 main marquee players, and protected them even. So if they're gonna take Yao's word on it now after (if) he lays down the law about the team, couldnt they have considered his input BEFORE going off and getting a new supposed run & gun coach? If you're gonna take your players's opinion on what to do, might as well let them figure in on the hiring for what suits them best. Scola and Landry and Mike James, talent the new GM brought in that the previous one failed to do for the old coach, wouldnt have looked too bad in the already stable Van Gundy system, right?...and we also thought McGrady's laid back demeanor indicated not minding being 2nd or 3rd option and liked to facilitate. We were fooled & "It takes 5", right McGrady? Terrible.
For those questioning Tmac being hurt...what does he have to gain by sitting out games and faking a limp?? At the beginning of the season, he was talking about contending for a title just like the entire city of Houston was. He is guaranteed 21 million dollars. He doesn't have any beef (atleast not big enough to make the news) with any teammates or coaches. Why would he fake an injury and take games off? He's on the most talented team he's ever been on. If he was a quitter, he would've done it the last 2 years when Yao went down. But he didn't, he elevated his game and carried the Rockets to 50+ wins in those seasons. He helped us get 22 wins in a row. Clearly, when you look at him now when he's injured and look at him when he's healthy, those are 2 very different players. When healthy, Tmac is as talented as any player in the league. You can clearly see the effects that injury has taken on him. He tried to play through it, but he couldn't. Everybody is built differently, and everybody recovers differently, especially after 12 years in the league, so don't say he should've been back by this date or that date. I think the Rockets are forcing him to sit out, because right now, he really can't help us. He relies a lot on his athleticism to drive to the basket and to shoot over players. Let him get healed up, and it'll be last year all over again. He'll come back, healthy mentally and physically, and he'll be regular Tmac again, which is an all star in this league.
If I had to make a wild guess I would say Tmac is probably just faking injury because he feels he can't get win with Yao Ming/Aldemans system and wants to be traded. (This might be true since I think Yao Ming's liabilities are magnified during playoffs where things tend to get physical and faster pace.) Yao probably is tired of the drama and wants Tmac to be traded. But the thing that doesn't add up is Tmac should be thrilled about Artest's arrival. Oh well, we will know in 2 weeks!
they're forcing him to sit out, yes, so he can get healthier both physically and mentally. but more importantly, they want a more consistent lineup and not this shuffling in and out. these are really not major problems that a team can't get over. hell, these are minor. i'm curious about the battles b/t tracy/yao/adelman that doc rocket has said.
